If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude than the animated contest of freedom — go home from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains sit lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen!

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

A lot of talk when comparing calibers often revolves around bullet energy. While some argue that you need a larger round to be effective, in terms of energy, velocity counts exponentially more than mass. The formula:

E=1/2(mv^2) Shows the relationship between mass and velocity. You can see that a gain in velocity will produce a much larger gain in energy than a proportionately larger round.

For example, a 230 Grain .45 ACP traveling at 900 fps has 414 ft/lbs of energy. While a 146 Grain 9mm traveling at 1210 fps has 474 ft/lbs of energy.

If you really want a round that produces a large amount of energy, a 200 Grain 10mm traveling at 1300 fps, has 750 ft/lbs of energy.

Monday, October 10, 2011

I don't open carry, but I live in a shall issue state. So I can understand why someone would in a state where it is very difficult to get a CCW.

Pennsylvania is a shall-issue state. So unless there is some delay or problem with getting your concealed permit, I can't justify open carrying. In my opinion, there are no advantages to carrying openly when carrying concealed is an option.

Law Enforcement Officers have a very difficult job, and I appreciate their service. Unfortunately there are a few that can give the rest a bad image.

There is one argument that never ceases to poke it's head in the world of concealed carry: which caliber is best?

While there are more opinions on this than almost any other aspect of firearms, I view the theory that there is an "ultimate caliber" or "best caliber" as largely irrelevant. I prefer to think in terms of most effective.

My general rule is: Carry the most effective firearm possible.

If I could walk around with an assault rifle slung across my back and a Ma Deuce in the trunk of my car "just in case" I probably would. However, that's not socially acceptable. (And frankly carrying a rifle everywhere gets old very quickly.) So for most of us that means carrying a handgun. We are then left to determine, which handgun is most effective.

Many will try to make the argument that the largest caliber you can carry is the most effective, however this analysis is short sighted. While the .45 ACP is a larger, more powerful round than a 9mm, that doesn't necessarily mean that it is more effective. When you choose a handgun you have to consider more than just the ballistics of the calibers in question. A .45 will have better stopping power than a 9mm, but you have fewer rounds at your disposal. In any kind of life or death engagement, you are going to go to slide lock a lot quicker than you think. So, which is more effective? Well... stopping power and capacity aren't the only elements to consider.

What about accuracy?
Accuracy of a round depends on a lot of factors. While some calibers may fly flatter and faster than others, and therefore have less bullet drop at longer distances, most self defense shootings occur at ranges inside 7yds. So the accuracy of the round doesn't matter as much. What matters with accuracy is how well you can shoot that caliber in a specific firearm. The simple truth is that placement will trump power every time. If you can't shoot a .45 accurately, you shouldn't be carrying a .45. The same logic goes for 9mm. Recoil recovery comes into play when you are making follow up shots, and logically it is going to take someone longer to make an accurate follow up shot with a larger caliber handgun. In addition, not all 9mm firearms shoot the same. Not everyone will be accurate with the same firearm. For example, the trigger pull on a Smith and Wesson 637 has a relatively long smooth trigger pull, which I find rather easy to shoot well. However, if you are a woman, or a girly-man, with dainty hands, you may find the double action trigger pull is too heavy for you to shoot accurately.

You also need to consider what gun is most comfortable to carry on a daily basis. While John had a post a while ago about how none are really that comfortable, some are definitely easier to carry than others. And you, like me, might end up changing your carry gun to fit what you are wearing.

In conclusion, most effective doesn't really mean caliber. It is more about the total package, not just of the firearm, but of you employing that firearm.